Bedstead-fasteniiwj



UNITED sTATns .PATENT ornicn.

CHARLES H. PARKER, OF NEW GENEVA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BEDSTEAD-FASTENING.

Specification of Letters 'Patent No. 7,428, dated June 11, 1850.

To all whom t may concern Y Be it known that I, CHARLES H. PARKER, ofNew Geneva, in the county of Fayette and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new Improvements in Bedsteads, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, which forms partof this specification, and inwhich- Figure l represents a view in perspective of my bedstead, andFigs. 2 and 3 are similar views of portions of one of the posts andrails to show more clearly their construction and operation. Myinvention consists in a device by which the rails and posts of abedstead are firmly united and can yet be easily and quicklydisconnected, while, at the same time the mattress is strained; also ina mattress constructed in such manner that its upper surface is moretightly strained than its lower, thus always affording a level supportfor the body of the sleeper, the weight of which acting upon therail-fastening bends to unite the posts and rails more securelytogether.

My bedstead as represented in the drawing is composed of a head (A) andfoot (B) frame, connected by two side rails C, C. The frames are eachformed of two posts (a, a), connected by the head (b) or foot (c)"boards, and by suitable head (d) or foot (c) rails.' The mattress (D)is secured by its edges to the side rails (C C), which are round, andwhich are each furnished at each of their extrelnities with an arm (g)projecting downward toward the floor on which the bedstead stands. Eachend of each side rail is'also fitted with a pivot (h) the head of whichis of a tapering form like that of a -wood screw increasing in size asit projects from `the end of the rail; a pair of boxes (i, vl,) areAfitted to each pivot'these are countersunk to receive the flaring headof the pivot and are also made tapering from one end to the other asrepresented in Fig. 3. The abutting edges of the two boxes are squarewith their front and hinder faces, the opposite sides are beveled insuch manner that the width of the pair at their hinder face is greaterthan it is at the face in contact with the end of the rail. Atapering-dovetailed socket (7c), corresponding in size and form with thepair of boxes, is made in the face of each post, the wider end of thesocket being at the outer side of the post. In putting the bedsteadtogether the boxes are appliedto their respective pivots and the railsare turned in such manner that their arms project outward from themattress; the boxes are then inserted in their respective sockets andthe arms are depressed; the lower extremities of the corresponding armsat each end of the bedstead are connected by rods (Z, 3,) which `areunited by a screw-buckle (m). The turning of the screw-buckles draws thelower extremities `of the arms nearer together, thus turning the railsin opposite directions to wind up the edges of the mattress which isthus strained in an equable and efficient manner from end to end, whileat the same time the strain draws the rails nearer to each other thusjamming the'tapering boxes in their respective sockets and rmlyconnecting the several parts of the bedstead. The tick which forms theupper surface of the mattress is made of less width than that which.forms the lower, hence the former will be more tightly strained, andthus the upper surface of the mattress will be kept more nearly levelfrom side to side and the cotton or other substance with which it isstuffed be prevented from packing or matting together.

In disconnecting the bedstead the screwbuckles are slacked and the rodsdrawn out, the arms are then turned upward, and the side rails are drawnoutward, thus detaching the boxes from their sockets.

It will be perceived that the force with which the several parts of thebedstead are held together is proportioned to the strain upon themattress, as this increases by the imposition of additional weight therails are more nearly drawn together and the boxes are more firmly heldin their sockets.

N Vhat I claim in the above described bedstead as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is- The device for securing the ends of theside rails to the posts. consisting of a headed Vtenon on the rail andtwo wedge shaped and dovetailed boxes in the post, the latter held inplace by the pendant arms and tie-rods by which the mattress isstretched substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof `I have hereto subscribed my name.

. CHAS. H. PARKER.

Witnesses:

E. S. RENwIcx, P. I-I. WATSON.

